Freview - Relic Hunters Zero
In the world of video games, the dependence of major studios on souped-up graphics has caused me no small amount of chagrin, especially when damn near everything else has been sacrificed in order to give games what is essentially a fresh coat of paint. Yes, it increases immersion, but nothing breaks immersion like a broken game made that way because some studio exec thinks aesthetics takes precedence over functionality. I can only fall through the infinite void because of bad collision detection, find myself unable to pick up a quest item because the game’s failing to register that it’s there, or watch cut scenes that have a character standing on their own head so many times before it becomes tedious.
Rogue Snail
I believe this is often why so many gamers have taken to the ol’ Steam store in search of indy studios with fresh ideas. Of course, “fresh ideas” may be a bit of a stretch sometimes, but even the silly stuff can be fun, which brings me to Relic Hunters Zero, brought to us by the fine folks at Rogue Snail. It’s a jaunty little 8-bit shooter that harkens back to the simple look and feel of a retro era shoot ‘em up and tries to combine it with the adrenaline fueled mayhem of current gen shoot ‘em ups. You play a Relic Hunter, which I suppose is like a less buxom Tomb Raider, running and gunning your way through sets of ruins overrun by armed turtles and ducks. At least we’ve moved on from the Russians, which is more than I can say for Call of Duty.
Rogue Snail
The whole point of the game is to collect relic pieces which can give you a stat boost when you collect all three pieces of each relic. You find these within some stages (though which ones seems to be randomized) once you’ve cleared out all the enemies and locate them using an initially very confusing sonar-like detector. There’s no telling where in the stage you’ll find the relic piece, you just need to keep hitting the button until the sonar changes color and sound. Fortunately, if you collect enough “bounty” (the name of the in-game currency), you can purchase a relic piece from your horse-faced boss (not hyperbole) between levels. No sign of fremium content, though, which comes as a pleasant surprise.
Rogue Snail
As a console gamer, I often have some trouble with the WASD + Mouse interface. My thumbs have the precision of a surgeon, but my fingers are little more than clumsy hooks. For those in my same boat, you may have some trouble getting the hang of traversing a landscape strewn with debris, avoiding getting stuck while dodging enemy fire by what can only be described as a shit ton of bad guys. Insane amounts of enemies aside, this is definitely not a game to simply go around spraying bullets willy-nilly. With only so much extra ammo strewn about each level, once you run out of bullets, your only weapon becomes your melee attack, which usually isn't much to work with. Unless, you know, you’ve always had aspirations of being bullet-ridden, in which case, enjoy! You're particularly aware of this vulnerability because, in a surprising jump from standard retro fair, the debris on the field is completely destructible, making it at best a temporary haven and, at worst, a Mario brick waiting to happen.
Actually, there is one character starting out (Pinky) who specializes in melee attacks and can basically punch people in half with a single blow. It gives you a bit of an edge in the initial stages, especially with the aid of her more powerful shield, but even she is susceptible to getting overwhelmed by gunfire and a solid skill in ranged weapons is necessary as there are no melee-specialized enemies.
Rogue Snail
Rogue Snail’s managed to create a spunky throwback addition to the 2.5D shooter genre without caving to the temptation of weaseling money out of its players (for now). The simplified look of the game belies the challenge that few but those experienced with retro games might expect and creates an experience that could be at once nostalgic for veteran gamers from the 8-bit era and a refreshing history lesson for up and comers who have only just started making their foray into this neigh limitless community of fun and adventure. I can’t help but want to sit and ponder upon how far we’ve come in the world of gaming and the choices we face in where we could be going. Do we head further and further into the abyss where virtual reality awaits to trap us in a void of simulated life and power fantasy? Or do we simply slip back into the tempting arms of nostalgia, forever cursed to walk a cycle of remembrance that gives us a taste of what was, but will never truly capture those halcyon days no matter how hard we try?
Nah, fuck that. Where’s my Genesis?